In this exhibition, on show at the Ashurst Emerging Artist Gallery in London from 15th January to 30th March 2018, we revisit the work of previously shortlisted and winning artists from the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize.

International law firm Ashurst and Oaktree & Tiger Gallery are pleased to announce the winners of the Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize 2016. The prize has been hugely successful in its second year receiving more than 1,890 artworks by over 740 artists. The shortlist included artists from Europe, Iran, China, India, South Africa, North, Central and South America who work across sculpture, painting, photography and other art forms.

International law firm Ashurst and Oaktree & Tiger Gallery are pleased to announce the 25 artists shortlisted for the Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize 2016.

Chosen out of more than 1,890 artworks entered by over 740 artists, the shortlist includes artists from Europe, Iran, China, India, South Africa, North, Central and South America who are working across sculpture, digital, painting, photography and other art forms.

"We are excited that the prize is three times bigger. Plus it is reaching a much larger audience, which is successfully putting participating artists in front of art professionals who are looking for the best artists for their projects. The high quality and quantity of the entries has made the process much harder as every artwork must be looked at by each judge, but we now have an excellent shortlist of artists and they will be exhibited until July."

Rosa Sepple RI, Director at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and member of the judging panel, said:

"It was an honour to be invited to help judge the hugely successful Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize. I regularly sit on selection panels and this Prize is particularly interesting. Looking closely at every entry we meet to discuss the works to choose those who we think show the most potential. The presentation to us is exceptional and we get to see so many fabulous works of art. This competition, I am sure, will be the stepping stone into the often difficult, art world."

"The Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize is in its second year and the entries continue to astound me with the amount of unexposed creative and technical talent out there. The Prize succeeds in bringing the best of these into the public gaze."

HighlightHollywood.com interviewed president of American Art Awards Thom Bierdz (painter of the BLUE X paintings) and asked which artists this year won the SELF-PORTRAIT category. Bierdz explained, “This is an exciting category because the 25 galleries get to see how the artists view themselves. Maryam Deyhim of Iran received highest cumulative gallery scores for her pencil and flower collage.

Out of more than 600 artworks entered by over 270 artists, the short list of 25 includes artists from Europe, South America, Iran, China, South Africa, North and Central America who are working across sculpture, digital, painting, photography and many more styles.

The prize has been focused on offering support to all Artists throughout the duration of it and as a result entry numbers were very high and a really diverse shortlist has been created - it's great to be a part of.

The prizes are complemented with a series of ongoing talks providing practical marketing guidance for artists, a constantly updated social media presence offering advice tips and promoting all early entrants and the option for every entrant to request feedback.

The winners will be announced in June 2015, with events and online support continuing while individual feedback is sent to the 200+ artists that requested it.

"The prize has so far exceeded expectations, not just in the quality of the work but also in terms of number of entrants, in part driven by the support we have offered to every artist through the application process. This prize is the flagship of our arts programme and reflects our commitment to the promotion of the arts and artists of the future. This is an important initiative, not only for Ashurst but for all the artists taking part. We have high hopes for the outcome of this new important prize and congratulate all of the short listed artists.”

All of the shortlisted artists are exhibited at the Ashurst Emerging Artist Gallery between April and June this year before a winner is decided on.

We decided to submit Crowd and were we were obviously delighted that the jury selected it as one of 25 shortlisted for the Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize which is sponsored by Ashurst LLP.

There are £3,000 and £1,500 cash prizes with solo exhibitions in London.

Please go along to the Ashurst Emerging Artist Gallery to view the artwork in person, and the other 24 finalists' works. It is a great event to be involved with and the standard of the shortlisted works is exceptional.

Location:

5 Appold St

London EC2A 2HA

United Kingdom

Tube / Metro: Liverpool Street Station

Viewing is by appointment so you will need to call +44 207 460 4873 or mail [email protected]

Maryam's fantastic painting Bazaar was entered into the International Artist Grand Prize Competition 2015 in Taipei, Taiwan and even though there was very strong competition this year, 4,033 pieces from all over the world participating in the event and only 90 of them selected for shortlist, Bazaar was selected!

Maryam's painting "Cloth Cage" was selected for inclusion in the 6th annual Passion for Freedom Art Festival that took place in London from 5th

-15th November in the Embassy Tea Gallery (close to Tate Modern) in London.

The annual festival is a rare collection of works of “courageous artists” who have answered three pivotal questions:

What is freedom?

How easy is it to lose it?

How difficult is it to get it back?

This year at the festival there was a collection of 15 films, 10 books, 10 journalists and 51 artworks from all over the world: Peru, Venezuela, Iran,

Israel, Syria, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Greece, United Kingdom, USA & Australia. The youngest artist is 18 years old, the oldest 64. Some of the artists use pseudonyms because of threats imposed on them, some of them could not attend because they are imprisoned, cannot leave their country or cannot give interviews.

Passion for Freedom has a positive intent, celebrating the freedom that some of us enjoy whilst remembering that many others do not have the same freedoms of movement and expression. We were happy to support and to contribute to this interesting and culturally and artistically diverse event.

Highlight Hollywood is daily revealing the 50 categories of winning artists in the 2014 American Art Awards. Emerging and mid-career artists around the globe entered online art in www.AmericanArtAwards.com which was scored by 25 of the best American galleries.

1ST PLACE winner MARYAM DEYHIM explains, “I paint scenes that I see in my dreams or emerging on the paper itself. Occasionally I have a theme in mind but the process is the same, I just draw and paint what I see in my mind.”

Deyhim has painted since she was a child and attended classes in caricature and animation. Three years ago, with the encouragement and support of her partner, Paul Matthews, she began to seriously pursue her art career, to almost instant success.

Deyhim has exhibited internationally at the Espacio Gallery (London), Centro Hotel (Dubai), Lugano (Switzerland) and the Dialogue of Nations (Iran). Following her successes in the 2013 American Art Awards, she was a featured artist in Arttour International magazine’s Best of Contemporary Art 2013.

Matthews explains, “Maryam becomes completely absorbed in her work. She loves to paint scenes of interaction, from the intimate dialogue of two people to the hustle and bustle of bazaar. There is a commonality in the sense of fluidity and harmony, so beautifully observed.”

Emerging and mid-career artists around the globe entered online art in 50 categories which was scored in August by 25 of the most established American galleries. Today American art award announced the winners in Category 9 – Cubism.